Dual layer door

ABSTRACT

An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower. The assembly includes a primary door and a sub-door. The primary door is configured to be pivotably mounted in the HVAC blower. The primary door includes a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end. The primary door defines an opening in the airflow door assembly. The sub-door is pivotably mounted to the primary door and is movable between a closed position and an open position. In the closed position the sub-door is seated within the opening to restrict airflow through the opening. In the open position the sub-door is rotated out from within the opening to permit airflow through the opening.

FIELD

The present disclosure relates to an automobile air conditioning system.

BACKGROUND

This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

Despite recent advances in manufacturing, automobile production remains very expensive. Major manufacturing costs include development, materials, and labor, among other costs. Some companies have reduced labor costs by strategically locating automobile production near demand or in low-cost regions. Others have sought less expensive materials. However, manufacturing costs continue to rise, particularly as new regulations require difficult development projects. Therefore, automobile manufacturers have further need for lower cost production devices and techniques.

One device in an automobile that can be designed to reduce automobile manufacturing costs is the automobile's air conditioning system. In particular, reducing material and development costs of the air conditioning system by decreasing the number of parts or increasing commonality of parts can help reduce automobile manufacturing costs. Furthermore, reducing the number of parts can reduce air flow restrictions through the air conditioning system, such as in complex air conditioning systems with butterfly doors in which the butterfly doors are at intrusive positions.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not a comprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

In view of the airflow door assembly according to the present teachings, automobile manufacturing costs, particularly material and development costs, are reduced by decreasing the number of parts, yet increasing commonality of parts among automobile air conditioning models. The airflow door assembly includes an apparatus for executing multiple air conditions in a vehicle interior. For example, the apparatus may execute full fresh air, full recirculation air, or dual layer air made including both fresh and recirculation air. Furthermore, more than one type of blowing fan may be used with the apparatus.

An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower includes a primary door that is pivotably mounted in the HVAC blower. The primary door includes a first end, a second end, and a partial inner wall. A sub-door is pivotably mounted to the primary door that defines an aperture or opening. The sub-door is movable between a closed position in which the sub-door prohibits fluid communication through the aperture and an open position in which the sub-door allows fluid communication through the aperture.

An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower includes a sealing section having a first inlet and a second inlet, an outlet, a primary door having a sealing wall, and a sub-door pivotably mounted to the primary door that defines an aperture. When mounted in an HVAC blower, the sub-door is movable between a first position to direct airflow from the first inlet to the outlet, a second position to direct airflow from the second inlet to the outlet, and a third position to direct airflow from the first inlet and the second inlet to the outlet.

An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower includes a case that defines a first inlet, a second inlet, a sealing section, a first outlet, a second outlet, and a blower section. The assembly also includes a primary door having a first end, a second end, an inner wall, sealing tabs, and a sub-door. The primary door and sub-door have a first position, a second position, and a third position. The primary door and sub-door independently and selectively allow fluid communication between the first inlet and the blower section, the second inlet and the blower section, and the first inlet and the second inlet and the blower section. The sealing tabs provide a seal between the primary door and the case when in the first position, second position, or the third position. The primary door and the sub-door are pivotably mounted to a shaft and the sub-door is positioned between the first end and second end of the primary door.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. The description and specific examples in this summary are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

DRAWINGS

The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only of selected embodiments and not all possible implementations, and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an airflow door assembly door according to the present teachings;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the airflow door assembly of FIG. 1 with sub-door closed;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the airflow door assembly of FIG. 1 with sub-door open;

FIG. 4 is a cross-section view of the airflow door assembly;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section view of the airflow door assembly;

FIG. 6 is a schematic view of an automobile air conditioning case including the airflow door assembly of FIG. 1 in a first position;

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the automobile air conditioning case including the airflow door assembly of FIG. 1 in a second position; and

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of an automobile air conditioning case including the airflow door assembly of FIG. 1 in a third position.

Corresponding reference numerals indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Example embodiments will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIGS. 1-5 illustrate a door assembly 14 according to the present teachings. The door assembly 14 can be included with an airflow management device 10, which is illustrated in FIGS. 6-8. The airflow management device 10 includes a case 12, which may have a first inlet 15, a second inlet 16, a sealing section 18, a first outlet 20, a second outlet 22, and a blower section 24. The first inlet 15 and the second inlet 16 are typically in fluid communication with separate air sources. For example, the first inlet 15 may be in fluid communication with fresh air while the second inlet 16 may be in fluid communication with recirculation air. The first outlet 20 and the second outlet 22 may be in fluid communication with the first inlet 15 and second inlet 16, depending on the position of the door assembly 14. The door assembly 14 is mounted to the airflow management device 10 and may be disposed between the first inlet 15 and second inlet 16, and between the first outlet 20 and the second outlet 22.

With reference to FIGS. 1-5, the door assembly 14 may have a first end 28, a second end 30, an inner wall 32, sealing tabs 34, and a sub-door 36 rotatable about an axis 38. The first end 28 and the second end 30 extend radially from the axis 38 and have an arcuate profile, such as a near-quarter-circle profile. Between the first end 28 and second end 30, the door assembly 14 may have rigid features 40 that are shaped to structurally strengthen the door assembly 14. The rigid features 40 may be on an interior surface 42 or exterior surface 44 of the door assembly 14. For example, the rigid features 40 may be a plurality of cross-members, which may intersect to further strengthen the door assembly 14. In addition, the rigid features 40 may also be corrugations.

The blower section 24 moves air from at least one of the first inlet 15 and second inlet 16 through at least one of the first outlet 20 and second outlet 22 by creating a pressure differential between the first inlet 15 and second inlet 16 and the first outlet 20 and second outlet 22, depending on the position of the door assembly 14. For example, a blower, such as a fan 26, which may be single- or multi-layered, may be used to create the pressure differential. If a single-layered fan is used (not shown), the airflow management device 10 may have a different case 12 and filter 62 than if a multi-layered fan is used. In addition, the sub-door 36 (and opening in which it is seated) may be removed or will close an aperture defined by the primary door. Therefore, the blower section 24 may create a pressure differential to move air from at least one of the first inlet 15 and the second inlet 16, through the door assembly 14, then through at least one of the first outlet 20 and second outlet 22. If a multi-layered fan is used, the airflow management device 10 may have a case with a fan outlet for each layer of the multi-layered fan.

The sealing tabs 34 are configured to restrict air flow around the exterior surface 44 of the door assembly 14. In particular, the sealing tabs 34 may include a sealing material, such as a foam or elastomer. The sealing tabs 34 may be held to the door assembly 14 by an adhesive or a fastener. However, a person having ordinary skill would understand that many materials may be used. The sealing tabs 34 are further disposed around a perimeter 46 of the door assembly 14, particularly along a first edge 48 and second edge 50. The edge 48 is at a first frame of the door assembly 14 and the second edge 50 is at a second frame of the door assembly 14, both the first and the second frames generally extend from pivot axis 38. The first edge 48 and second edge 50 may intersect the axis 38 at the first end 28 and the second end 30. As shown in FIG. 1, the sealing tabs 34 extend from the axis 38 of the door assembly 14 at the first end 28 to the axis 38 at the second end 30. Depending on the position of the door assembly 14, the sealing tabs 34 may be selectively engaged with the case 12, the first inlet 15 and second inlet 16, and the first outlet 20 and the second outlet 22. The sealing material may be on both sides of the sealing tabs 34 or just one side as required to restrict air flow around the exterior surface 44 of the door assembly 14.

The sealing tabs 34 are configured to restrict fluid communication around the door assembly 14 between the door assembly 14 and the case 12 when in a first position A, a second position B, or a third position C by frictionally engaging the case 12. The sub-door 36 is mounted to a shaft 64 and the door assembly 14 pivots about the shaft 64 with common axis 38. The sub-door 36 is positioned between the first end 28 and second end 30 of the door assembly 14. The first inlet 15 and the second inlet 16 may have independent fluid sources. For example, one fluid source may be recirculation air and another fluid source may be fresh air. Therefore, only the sealing tabs 34 frictionally engage the case 12, and the sub-door 36 restricts air only by rotating within the door assembly 14. In this way, the case 12 may be smaller, have increased commonality amongst components, and have fewer components, thereby reducing manufacturing costs.

The inner wall 32 is a solid, generally flat planar wall that extends between the first end 28 and the second end 30 to restrict air moving through the door assembly 14. The inner wall 32 extends from the first edge 48 toward the axis 38, but may not reach the axis 38. Therefore, the inner wall 32 has a generally rectangular shape and defines an opening between the inner wall 32 and the axis 38.

The sub-door 36 is a solid, generally flat door that extends between the first end 28 and the second end 30 to selectively restrict air moving through the door assembly 14. The sub-door 36 may be known as a flag door. The sub-door 36 is rotatably disposed about the axis 38 and extends radially outward therefrom. The sub-door 36 may rotate within the door assembly 14 and have a width that complements the inner wall 32 such that the sub-door 36 may form a wall from the first edge 48 of the door assembly 14 to the axis 38 that restricts air from moving through the door assembly 14.

The sub-door 36 may have a smooth perimeter 52. Alternatively, the sub-door 36 may have a sealing feature 54 at the perimeter 52 to further restrict fluid communication when the sub-door 36 is proximate the inner wall 32. For example, the sealing feature 54 may be a cupped lip (FIG. 4) made of many materials such as soft rubber. Furthermore, the sealing feature 54 may be an elastomer or foam (FIG. 5). A person having ordinary skill in the art would appreciate that the configuration allows for the sealing feature 54 to be any suitable material, such as caulk, cellulose, or cork.

Now referring to FIGS. 6-8, the door assembly 14 and sub-door 36 are configured to independently selectively allow fluid communication between the first inlet 15 and the blower section 24, the second inlet 20 and the blower section 24, and the first inlet 15 and the second inlet 16 and the blower section 24. The door assembly 14 and sub-door 36 allow fluid communication by having at least first position A (FIG. 6), second position B (FIG. 7), and third position C (FIG. 8), as adjusted by any suitable actuating mechanism, such as any suitable motor or servo in cooperation with the airflow management device 10.

In the first position A of FIG. 6, the door assembly 14 is positioned proximate to the second inlet 16 and the sub-door 36 is positioned to open the aperture defined by the door assembly 14. Therefore, the first inlet 15 is in fluid communication with the first outlet 20 and the second outlet 22, the filter 62, and the blower section 24. In this instance, for example, the first position 56 may allow fresh air to flow to the blower section 24, but restrict recirculation air from flowing to the blower section 24.

In the second position B of FIG. 7, the door assembly 14 is positioned proximate to the first inlet 15 and the sub-door 36 is positioned intermediate of the first edge 48 and second edge 50 of the door assembly 14. Therefore, the second inlet 16 is in fluid communication with the first outlet 20 and the second outlet 22, the filter 62, and the blower section 24. In this instance, for example, the second position 58 may allow recirculation air to flow to the blower section 24, but restrict fresh air from flowing to the blower section 24.

In the third position C of FIG. 8, the door assembly 14 is positioned intermediate of the first inlet 15 and the second inlet 16. The sub-door 36 is positioned proximate to the inner wall 32 of the door assembly 14. Therefore, the first inlet 15 is in fluid communication with the first outlet 20, the filter 62, and the blower section 24. In this instance, for example, the third position 60 may allow recirculation air to flow to the blower section 24 and allow fresh air to flow to the blower section 24.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that the configuration allows for the door assembly 14 and sub-door 36 to each be arranged in any suitable position in addition to those described above, such as, for example directing and restricting fluid communication of more than two fluid sources, or in which the door assembly 14 is slidable rather than rotatable.

The airflow management device 10 according to the present teachings thus advantageously provides for two doors configured to allow airflow between selected inlets and outlets of an air conditioning case. Therefore, the airflow management device 10 reduces automobile manufacturing costs in an automobile's air conditioning system by using the door assembly 14 to provide for independent fluid sources. The door assembly 14 therefore reduces material and manufacturing costs by decreasing the size of the case 12, reducing the number of parts included therewith, and increasing the commonality of parts. The sub-door 36 is advantageously located at a non-intrusive position so that the sub-door 36 will only engage portions of the door assembly 14.

The description has been provided for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular embodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but, where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selected embodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same may also be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of the disclosure.

Although the terms first, second, third, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections, these elements, components, regions, layers and/or sections should not be limited by these terms. These terms may be only used to distinguish one element, component, region, layer or section from another region, layer or section. Terms such as “first,” “second,” and other numerical terms when used herein do not imply a sequence or order unless clearly indicated by the context. Thus, a first element, component, region, layer or section discussed below could be termed a second element, component, region, layer or section without departing from the teachings of the example embodiments. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower comprising: a primary door configured to be pivotably mounted in the HVAC blower, the primary door including a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end, the primary door defining an opening in the airflow door assembly; and a sub-door pivotably mounted to the primary door and movable between a closed position in which the sub-door is seated within the opening to restrict airflow through the opening, and an open position in which the sub-door is rotated out from within the opening to permit airflow through the opening.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary door includes a shaft that is pivotably mounted to the HVAC blower, the HVAC blower defining at least one inlet and at least one outlet.
 3. The assembly of claim 2, wherein the at least one inlet, the primary door, the sub-door, and the at least one outlet are selectively in an airflow path.
 4. The assembly of claim 2, wherein a case of the HVAC blower includes a filter in an airflow path with the at least one inlet and the at least one outlet.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary door and sub-door pivot about a common axis.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the primary door has projecting tabs extending about a perimeter of the primary door.
 7. The assembly of claim 6, wherein the projecting tabs have a sealing material on at least one side of the projecting tabs.
 8. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the sealing material includes an elastomer.
 9. The assembly of claim 7, wherein the sealing material includes a foam packing.
 10. The device of claim 1, wherein the sub-door has a sealing material about a perimeter thereof.
 11. The assembly of claim 1, wherein the sub-door has a non-planar lip about a perimeter.
 12. An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower comprising: a primary door including: a first frame and a second frame both extending from a pivot axis of the primary door; and a wall extending across the first frame, the wall partially defining an opening of the primary door; and a sub-door pivotably mounted to the primary door at the pivot axis and configured to pivot independently of the primary door between a closed position in which the sub-door is seated within the opening and an open position in which the sub-door is outside of the opening.
 13. The assembly of claim 12, further comprising a filter in an airflow path with the primary door.
 14. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the first frame and second frame have projecting tabs extending from a periphery thereof.
 15. The assembly of claim 14, wherein the projecting tabs have a sealing material on at least one side of the projecting tabs.
 16. The assembly of claim 12, wherein the sub-door has a perimeter sealing feature.
 17. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the perimeter sealing feature is a non-planar lip.
 18. The assembly of claim 16, wherein the perimeter sealing feature is a sealing material.
 19. An airflow door assembly for an HVAC blower case comprising: an HVAC blower case defining a first inlet, a second inlet, a sealing section, an outlet, and a blower section; and a door assembly including: a primary door having a first end, a second end, and an inner wall extending between the first end and the second end, the inner wall partially defining an opening of the primary door; a sub-door mounted to the primary door between the first end and the second end, both the primary door and the sub-door are individually pivotable about a common pivot axis, the sub-door is movable between a closed position in which the sub-door is seated within the opening and an open position in which the sub-door is outside of the opening; wherein: in a first position the primary door is proximate to the second inlet and the sub-door is open to direct airflow from the first inlet to the outlet and restrict airflow from the second inlet to the outlet; in a second position the primary door is proximate to the first inlet and the sub-door is open to direct airflow from the second inlet to the outlet and restrict airflow from the first inlet to the outlet; and in a third position the primary door is intermediate of the first inlet and the second inlet and the sub-door is closed to direct airflow from both the first inlet and the second inlet to the outlet and restrict airflow between the first and the second inlets.
 20. The assembly of claim 19, wherein the primary door includes sealing tabs between the first end and the second end. 